Friday 13 December

• EU Council. ‘Justice and Home Affairs’ Council (Brussels). *Justice: – Migrant smuggling: seeking a common position on the proposal for a directive establishing minimum rules to prevent the migrant smuggling. – Sexual abuse of minors: seeking a common position (general approach) on updating the 2011 directive to strengthen criminal law on sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children. – Insolvency: seeking a partial common position on the main elements of a proposal for a directive aimed at harmonising certain aspects of insolvency law (capital markets union). – Future of criminal law: exchange of views on the future of EU Criminal Law on the basis of previous Council conclusions. – ‘A’ items: acts or measures to be adopted without debate: https://aeur.eu/f/eor
• EU Council. Preparatory bodies (Brussels): – Coreper II. – Working Party on the United Kingdom. Other meetings: https://aeur.eu/f/eow

Monday 16 December

• EU Council. ‘Foreign Affairs’ Council (Brussels)(see EUROPE 13545/14). - War in Ukraine: debate on the situation after an informal exchange by videoconference with the Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs. - Georgia: exchange of views on recent evolution of situation in the country. - Middle East: debate on recent developments, particularly in Syria and Lebanon. - Belarus: exchange of views ahead of the presidential election (26/01/2025).
• EU Council. ‘Transport, Telecommunications and Energy’ Council (Brussels)(see EUROPE 13545/5). *Energy: - Geothermal energy: presentation of a report on geothermal energy by the Director of the IEA, Fatih Birol, and approval of conclusions on the promotion of this energy. - Energy policy: debate on the future of this policy with a view to an energy union (priorities for the next legislative cycle). - Networks: information from the Presidency and the Commission on the follow-up to the EU Network Action Plan. - Any other business: briefing on exports of cleaner fuels; preparations for winter and developments in international relations; impact of the neutrality fee for gas storage; presentation of the work programme of the future Polish Presidency.
• EU Council. Preparatory bodies (Brussels): – Coreper II. – Committee for Civilian Aspects of Crisis Management (Civcom). – Justice/Home Affairs Advisers. – Other meetings: https://aeur.eu/f/esl
• European Parliament. Plenary sitting (to 19/12 – Strasbourg)(see EUROPE 13545/17). Agenda : https://aeur.eu/f/esh
• European Parliament. Committee activities (Strasbourg): - DEVE-AFET-DROI: exchange of views with the winners of the 2024 Sakharov Prize (agenda: https://aeur.eu/f/ess ). - ECON-LIBE: appointment of the Chair of the Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) (agenda: https://aeur.eu/f/est ).

Tuesday 17 December

• EU Council. ‘General Affairs’ Council (Brussels)(see EUROPE 13545/18). - European Council: preparations for the European Summit on 19/12. - Legislative work: exchange of views on the Commission’s work programme for 2025 and multiannual programming. - Future of Europe: exchange of views on the Future of Europe. - European Semester: presentation by the Presidency of the roadmap for the European Semester. - Enlargement: approval of conclusions on EU enlargement. - Council programme: approval of the Council’s 18-month programme (01/01/2025-30/06/2026). - United Kingdom: exchange of views on EU-UK relations. - Switzerland: exchange of views on EU-Switzerland relations. - Any other business: progress in setting up the “Ethics” Body (Presidency); information on the Niinistö report on the EU’s civil and military preparedness (Presidency); progress in the Commission/European Parliament negotiations on the revision of the framework agreement on their relations (Commission). - ‘A’ items: acts or measures to be adopted without debate: https://aeur.eu/f/esj
• EU Council. Environment Council (Brussels)(see EUROPE 13545/8). - Plastic granulates: seeking political agreement on the regulation on the prevention of losses of plastic granulates. - End-of-life vehicles: policy debate on the proposal for a regulation on circularity in vehicle design and the management of end-of-life vehicles. - 2040 climate targets: exchange of views with the Commission on the EU’s 2040 climate target (90% reduction in net greenhouse gas emissions). - International meetings: reports from the Presidency and the Commission on the results of COP29 (climate change) and COP16 (biological diversity) and on the negotiations on the global treaty on plastics and COP16 on combating desertification. - ‘A’ items: acts or measures to be adopted without debate: https://aeur.eu/f/esk
• EU Council. Preparatory bodies (Brussels): - Political and Security Committee (PSC). - Standing Committee on Operational Cooperation on Internal Security (COSI). - Working Party on the United Kingdom. - Mertens Group. - Other meetings: https://aeur.eu/f/esn
• European Commission. Weekly meeting of the College of Commissioners (Strasbourg). - European Semester – Autumn Package II : - Joint Employment Report ; - Alert Mechanism Report ; - Euro Area Recommendation (Séjourné).
• European Parliament. Plenary sitting (to 19/12 – Strasbourg) (see EUROPE 13545/17). Agenda : https://aeur.eu/f/esh
• EU Council, European Parliament, European Commission. Inter-institutional negotiations (Brussels). Launch of trialogue negotiations on the CMDI package (reform of bank crisis management and deposit insurance framework).
• European Court of Auditors (Luxembourg). – Publication of a special report on management of infringement procedures.

Wednesday 18 December

• European Council. EU-Western Balkans Summit (Brussels). - Growth Plan and regional integration: implementation of the plan and efforts towards regional integration and with the EU. - Working dinner: examination of common geopolitical challenges.
• EU Council. Preparatory bodies (Brussels): - Coreper I. - Coreper II. - Political and Security Committee (PSC). - Other meetings: https://aeur.eu/f/et7
• European Parliament. Plenary sitting (to 19/12 – Strasbourg) (see EUROPE 13545/17). Agenda : https://aeur.eu/f/esh
• General Court of the EU (Luxembourg). #Judgments: - T-776/22 (TP v Commission - in matters of public procurement, is there an automatic link between the finding of a breach of contractual obligations and the adoption of an exclusion order by the authorising officer responsible?) - T-489/23 (Mironovich Shor v. Council) and T-493/23 (Tauber v. Council - can the organisation, direction or participation in violent demonstrations or other acts of violence justify action by the Union under the CFSP?).

Thursday 19 December

• European Council. Summit of Heads of State or Government (Brussels - and 20/12). - Ukraine: discussion on the situation in Ukraine in the presence of President Zelensky and adoption of conclusions on unconditional support for the country (military support, energy, sanctions against Russia). - Middle East: discussion on the situation in Syria and Lebanon, relations with Israel, request for de-escalation, support for the victims of the war. - The EU in the world: discussion of the global situation, the EU’s commitments and future priorities in a multipolar world marked by tensions (enlargement; use of EU instruments and policies to safeguard its interests; transatlantic relations; relations with the United Kingdom). - Resilience and preparedness: discussion of the Niinistö report on strengthening the EU’s civil and military preparedness. - Migration: follow-up to decisions taken at previous summits, in particular on strengthening external border controls, cooperation with third countries of origin or transit and speeding up returns. - External relations: developments, particularly in Georgia and Moldova. Any other business: results of the Hungarian Presidency, invitation to join the other institutions in the Interinstitutional Ethics Body.
• EU Council. Preparatory bodies (Brussels): – Military Committee Working Group (EUMCWG). Other meetings: https://aeur.eu/f/eso
• European Parliament. Plenary sitting (Strasbourg) (see EUROPE 13545/17). Agenda : https://aeur.eu/f/esh
• Court of Justice of the EU (Luxembourg). # Judgments: - cases C-185/24 and C-189/24 (Tudmur - can a national decision which suspends the acceptance of transfers under the Dublin III Regulation for an indefinite period of time constitute in itself a systemic error within the meaning of Union law?). - C-295/23 (Halmer Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft - is an Austrian company which is not authorised to provide legal advisory services entitled to acquire part of the share capital of a professional company of lawyers operating in Germany?) – joined cases C-244/24 (Kaduna) and C-290/24 (Abkez - when can a Member State terminate the optional temporary protection which it has freely decided to grant to certain categories of displaced persons?) - C-157/23 (Ford Italia - can liability for a defective product be claimed from a supplier who has not materially affixed his name, trade mark or other distinctive sign to the product, but whose identification details coincide, in whole or in part, with those of the producer?) - C-664/23 (Caisse d'allocations familiales des Hauts-de-Seine - does the principle of equal treatment preclude national legislation which requires a parent who is a national of a third country and lawfully resident in a Member State to prove, by means of specific documentary evidence, that his children, in respect of whom he is claiming family benefits, have lawfully entered the territory of that Member State?) - C-531/23 (Loredas - are employers in the domestic work sector exempt from the obligation to record the time actually worked by their employees?)

Friday 20 December

• EU Council. Preparatory bodies (Brussels): - Coreper II. - Other meetings: https://aeur.eu/f/esp